Why Do Children Swear?

Learn about children and swearing from Dr. Kimberly Williams in this Howcast video.

Transcript

Parents often get upset when they hear their child use a swear word or some type of profanity. And it is very difficult the first time they hear this. What we have to recognize, though, is that swearing and profanity is learning language, and children learn from their models. So we have to ask ourselves, sometimes, where are our children picking up these words? It's important if you think about it, you may even go back and laugh and recognize that even the tiniest little words like "stupid," and "shut up," and "butt," children are hearing at home. Don't worry, it's rarely malicious.

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What we have to recognize is that swearing becomes a rite of passage for children. This is the way they speak to their friends and their peers. As long as your child knows when to use profanity and how it is appropriate and proper to speak to adults, and they're not getting into trouble, just a minor reprimand is usually all they need. So unless swearing or profanity comes along with some other type of aggression, keep an eye on it. This is what you need to know about swearing and profanity.